Joseph “Joe” Andre Kratt Sr., age 73, died peacefully surrounded by family on September 11, 2021 in Naples, FL. Joe was born on August 3, 1948, in Pittsburgh, Pa. to Jeffery and Helen Kratt. Joe served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1968-1970 and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He earned the Bronze Star for bravery and leadership in combat when he led a handful of men to victory over a superior number of North Vietnamese soldiers in a fire fight. Joe moved to Naples, FL in 1972 where he worked in the construction industry as a superintendent and constructed many of the buildings and housing developments that helped Naples grow from a small fishing town to the thriving metropolis that it has grown into today. Joe was happily married to Rosemary “Ro” Helena Kratt for 52 years.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents, and siblings: Helen “Chookey” Jones, Virginia “Jenny” Schorr, Daniel “Danny” Kratt. Joe is survived by his wife, Ro, son, Joseph Kratt Jr., daughter-in-law (Christine), daughter, Valerie Lytle, son-in-law (Jason), five grandchildren: Mackenzie, Jordan, Travis, Brandon, and Charlotte. Siblings: Mildred Lober, Jeffery Kratt, Rose Ann Kratt, John Kratt, Patricia Holmes, numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Family was of the utmost importance to him. He would reach out to stay connected and offer support on a regular basis.
Besides spending time with family, Joe had a passion for Orchids, the NASA space program, the beach, and sunsets. Joe was a member of the Naples Orchid Society and had taken multiple trips abroad to collect exotic species for his personal collection. He was also a founding board member in the development of the Naples Botanical Society. As a child he was fascinated with space and the Apollo Missions. He built model rockets and engines from scratch and never missed a NASA launch. He would follow the shuttle program closely and always knew in which direction to look in the sky, to get a glimpse, of a launch hundreds of miles away. He enjoyed trips to see the space center in Cape Canaveral, FL. The beach was, by far, his happy place. He has explored the beaches of Collier County over the last 49 years enjoying the wonders of the life along the shore and in the water. Even when it became hard to travel, he would find a way to make it to the beach, even just for a short time to enjoy a sunset. He was rarely without a camera to capture a snapshot of family, nature, or a beautiful car.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life gathering on Friday September 17th, any time from 2-6pm at the Hodges Funeral Home 525 111th Ave. N Naples, Fl 34108. Services will be held from 6-6:45pm.
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